Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam had a tough start in the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. On Day 1 of the Test opener, he was dismissed for a two-ball duck. Surprisingly, it is his first duck on home soil in Test cricket.

Overall, this was Babar Azam’s 14th Test at home and his 24th innings at home but he had never been dismissed for a duck before. However, this was the eighth time the senior pro has been dismissed for a duck in his Test career.

His dismissal came from a ball he might have been better off leaving alone in the first place but he paid the price for his misjudgement, which also marks his first duck in three years. Facing only his second delivery, the veteran encountered a short ball down the leg side.

Instead of leaving the ball, he lunged at it before getting an inside edge off Shoriful Islam’s bowling. As it turned out, Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das superbly put in a full-blooded dive to his left to complete the catch in one hand.

The Test opener at Rawalpindi cricket stadium had a delayed start owing to rain and a wet outfield. As a result, the first day's play was reduced to 48 overs. The hosts quickly found themselves in a spot of bother, losing three crucial wickets just within the first 10 overs.

The former Pakistan skipper’s departure only added immense pressure on the team. His recent form in Test cricket has been a matter of concern. The 29-year-old batsman hasn’t scored a fifty in his last 13 Test innings.

Despite losing three quick wickets, Pakistan steadied the ship with help from Saud Shakeel and Saim Ayub as the duo hit a fifty apiece. The hosts ended the first day’s play with 158/4 in 41 overs, with Saud Shakeel (57) and Mohammad Rizwan (24) remain unbeaten at the crease.

His last 50-plus score came against New Zealand back in December 2022 in Karachi. Soon after he fell prey to Shoriful Islam’s delivery, he faced significant criticism and trolling on social media, with fans generating a truckload of memes and jokes regarding his underwhelming performance.